When it comes to revising print files, many experienced print service providers are in the habit of sending single-page revisions for multi-page files. For example, there might be a change to one page in a 36-page file. So, the client sends only the single revised page rather than returning the full file. Yet this common practice often leads to inadvertent errors during printing.
The Problem with Single Page Revisions in a Print Workflow
Why is this a problem?
It seems to be a battle of antiquated print workflow habits versus modern print production workflow reality.
According to Heidelberg’s Smart Print Shop white paper, replacing pages mid-stream in the workflow is a legacy practice that introduces complexity. Multiple manual interventions are needed to extract, edit, export, and re-assemble files. Each manual step on both the client side and print service provider side is an opportunity for something to change, including color conversion, trapping, resolution, or trim.
The most common error I see here at WTP is that the trim boxes for the original and the replacement pages are different. Because we recombine the files before we impose them, this can cause pages to be misaligned when imposed to print. Sometimes it is visually obvious, but often it is not. Such a scenario means there is a high probability the job has unintentionally become a "setup for failure."
The Origin of the Single-Page Revision
In the not-too-distant past, computers and printing workflow software were much slower than current systems. The single-page revision was a way to save valuable computer time.
And as we all know, an ingrained habit can morph into an industry “best practice” for print service providers and their clients. In time we start to hear, “that’s the way we’ve always done it,” or “Conglomerate Printing Biz says single-page revisions are fine.”
The problem is that technology is changing wildly. Habits need to be re-examined often. Today, computers and print workflow software can easily handle the largest of files.
A Better Print Workflow Technique
To avoid these potential errors from single-page revisions, always submit a complete, new, print-ready PDF when a change is made. This maintains one “single source of truth” and reduces the risk for human errors and file corruption.
For example, if a client is editing one page on a 36-page file, they should make the edit and export the entire 36-page print-ready PDF.
Modern Print Workflow Considerations
A primary benefit of print process automation is it makes printing companies more profitable. One of the reasons automation works so well is that it always follows a standardized process.
When that process is interrupted with human intervention such as a single-page revision, we lose the protection of that standardized process.
Theoretically, if everyone involved in the human intervention agreed to follow the exact same process during the editing and re-assembling chain of events, there wouldn’t be any errors. But that’s not practical. Everyone involved in a project at every client company and at the print service provider would have to agree to an identical editing process for it to work. And what are the odds of that happening?
Other areas of print shop workflow also point to the benefits of complete file submission.
Print File Integrity and Consistency
Industry standards such as CIP4 and Idealliance’s G7® methodology all underscore the reduction of manual steps in a print production workflow. In G7 & Workflow Training Materials: Through G7 Master Printer certification, Idealliance emphasizes the importance of predictable, standardized inputs.
Using one “single source of truth” by submitting complete files, reduces risk and maintains file integrity and consistency. This is a key takeaway from workflow optimization discussions and case studies from vendors like Heidelberg, EFI, and Agfa.
Print Automation and Efficiency
Modern print workflows heavily rely on automation to become more efficient. Solimar Systems, a print workflow optimization company, has found that automation in pre-production can reduce manual workloads by up to 60% and reduce errors considerably.
CIP4’s JDF framework favors end-to-end automation. Complete file submissions fit seamlessly into this model, while piecemeal page changes do not.
Submitting complete files aligns better with all modern automated workflows and reduces the need for manual intervention and potential human errors.
Improved File Handling
With advancements in technology, handling large files is far less problematic.
Summing it Up – Single Page Revisions and the Modern Print Workflow
The combined guidance from print standards organizations and print production software providers strongly supports the notion that resubmitting full, print-ready PDFs rather than individual pages, is the best way to prevent manual errors. It also keeps the print workflow moving smoothly. In the end, it’s a habit that systematically contributes to our bottom line.
